Actor/screenwriter/director Tom McCarthy won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay with his edifying film Spotlight (2015). He cowrote the script with Josh Singer and it stars Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Rachel McAdams. The story revolves around an investigative team at The Boston Globe that uncovered widespread child sex abuse in the Catholic Church in Boston. 

Tom is no stranger to examining the lives of journalists and their quests to relay truth. His latest expedition into the realm of journalistic fortitude is Alaska Daily. It’s a clear-eyed look at local journalism and how journalism as a whole aids society. Heading up the ensemble cast is Oscar winner Hilary swank as displaced journalist Eileen Fitzgerald, Jeff Perry, and Grace Dove. 

Tom recently took time to talk with us about Alaska Daily and what his standards for writing are.

How did Alaska Daily come about?

I had the idea kicking around in my brain for a while. The idea of examining, not just the work that journalists do, but their lives. Who journalists are and what makes them tick. One of the women that I was working with at the time put a report on my desk. It was a series that Kyle Hopkins wrote at the Anchorage Daily News in conjunction with Pro Publica called Lawless. It’s a riveting piece of reporting that focuses on sexual violence and also the missing and murdered crisis in Alaska. It was really harrowing and gripping, and it got me thinking about placing a story there, using some of Kyle’s reporting as inspiration for what we might explore in the series. It was really those two pieces that were the impulse for the show.

What’s the central idea?

It focuses on the importance of local journalism and the lives of the journalists who execute on that. In my mind, we’re in a time where journalists have really been under attack in this country and around the world. We try to humanize them a little bit, give a little insight into who they are, and why the work they do matters.

What are Eileen’s conscious and unconscious desires?

She’s a woman who’s suffered a fall from grace. She’s a woman who, after a real rupture in her life, tries to come to grips with why she does what she does and what’s most important in life. In many ways, I think the themes and stories in the show transcend even local journalism. It’s very human in that way. It’s something we can all connect with in some way. What happens when life doesn’t work out the way you think, you’ve got to rethink it and that can be very difficult at a certain age.

What episode was the most fun to write?

We’re still writing quite frankly. I don’t know if I can label any yet. We’re about six episodes in on a thirteen-episode series. We’re still breaking and we’re still writing… as one does in network tv, and this is my first shot at it.

What beliefs or perspectives is the show challenging?

What we’re pushing back on is what is fact. That’s what these people traffic in, fact and truth. There’s a big misconception now that most journalists approach their work with an agenda and we’re trying to dispel people of that. We’re trying to say, they’re just people. Particularly in local journalism, where people live in a community, try to report on a community and report the facts so that people can make their own decisions based on that reporting and how it’s an essential part of our democracy. It’s pushing back on this false narrative of a manipulative news corps and journalists, when really, they’re just people trying to report the truth.

Do you have a writing routine?

When I wake up, I try to eat and workout and get to my desk about 9:30 am and get to writing.

Do you have anything unique in your space that helps you stay focused?

No. I do need snacks, though…! I just need quiet and nothing to distract me. I can get distracted easily.

When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood or do you?

I don’t set a mood. I just try to live inside it a little bit and keep trying to be as truthful as I can to the moment.

When you say, ‘live inside,’ what does that entail?

Getting as close as I can, trying to conjure or experience what that event would be like. As writers, we’re always dealing with situations and characters outside of our own life experience. I think that’s part of what being a writer is. So, although we hope that there’s a personal connection to it more often than not, we’re reaching for new experiences and new insights in the writing and what we’re exploring.

What’s the most valuable writing advice you’ve ever been given?

Don’t overthink it. Make sure you write every day or as many days as you can. Stay out of your own way and just keep writing.

Have you ever written anything that made you view yourself differently?

Yeah, I think a lot of the things that I write do that. Not that I surprise myself by writing something, then learn from it. But rather in the process. You’re always researching. interviewing people, pressing on your own viewpoints and beliefs so you don’t feel like you’re narrow minded in your approach. On some level, we’re all narrow-minded. Hopefully, we’re all trying to expand our viewpoints and acknowledge our blind spots. Writing’s a real exercise in that on some level. As writers, we all live in fear that we’re not seeing the bigger picture or we’re missing something. I know journalists struggle with that in terms of facts and truth and writers struggle with it in terms of authenticity. There’s something in that exploration that’s constantly pushing us to continually evolve on some level.

What are the essential characteristics of a hero you can root for?

I think when we see someone struggling with real obstacles. Someone that’s determined, smart. but maybe flawed. We all have challenges and obstacles in life, so we can relate to a character like that.

Which do you prefer, writing features or television?

I guess right now features. There’s some amazing television out there. Storytelling is storytelling. This is my first time writing it network television and it’s proved to be quite challenging. That’s kind of exciting. I really enjoy the challenge and the people I’m collaborating with. It just feels like we’re trying to do something different and even reach a different audience. Creatively, that’s kind of an exciting challenge at this point in my career. It has been a nice detour and hopefully a successful one.

What are the challenges of writing for television as opposed to writing features?

Well, specifically, with network, the pace. They build it in such a way that you’re constantly chasing yourself in terms of time. There’s not enough prep time. The shooting schedules. That puts a lot of pressure on story, without a lot of room for error. With a screenplay and a film, you don’t usually start filming until you feel very solid about the film. This is a little bit different. It’s kind of evolving as you go. At times, it almost feels like we’re making live television the turnaround is so quick. It’s a different muscle. It’s a different approach to writing and process.

What’s the average day in the TV writers’ room?

I haven’t been in the writers’ room a ton recently.  But usually, they’re in there about 9:30 a.m. until about 6:00, 6:30 pm. Right now, a lot of the season’s broken so people are splitting off more and more to break episodes and write and polish episodes. The first two to three months was a lot of grinding on background, on character, on story and on breaking the series.

Whom do you trust for objective and constructive criticism?

Over the years, I’ve built up a circle of friends and colleagues that I trust and respect. They understand where I am in the process and can possibly give as honest feedback as possible knowing that everyone is a bit tainted on some level. Inevitably, I’ll pull in some outsiders that are completely unfamiliar with what I’m working on and how I work.

What are the benefits of shooting in Alaska?

It’s just an incredibly unique place. Everything about it. Topography. Nature. The vibe. The light. There’s a very distinct energy up there. When you’re shooting up there, it’s not only what you’re capturing on screen, but also what you’re capturing emotionally.